Two Researchers Win Alan Gordon Memorial Award

Dr Frances Platt and Dr Terence Butters were
presented with the second Alan Gordon Memorial Award on 25 April for their work
on the use of substrate deprivation therapy.

The important realisation by Dr Platt, Dr Butters and their team at the Dept
of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, that a whole series of sugars they were
investigating could be used to treat certain genetic storage diseases was a
significant discovery which has led to the development of a clinical trial of
the drug OGT 918 on patients with Gaucher's disease. The trials are currently
being carried out in four countries including the UK,' said Jeremy Manuel
who presented the researchers with a certificate and cheque for £500
each.

The outcome of the trial will not be known until early next year but there
is no doubt that the drug offers the hope of an additional arm of treatment for
patients with Type III and even Type II disease. Should the trial prove
effective in Gaucher's disease, then it could be used in trials of other
devastating diseases including Tay Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease and Niemann
Pick Type C. There are at present few credible therapeutic developments to
tackle these diseases .'

Dr Platt and Dr Butters said that receiving the Award was a great honour and
thanked the Association for inspiring them to continue with their research. Dr
Platt also thanked Prof Bryan Winchester and Prof Cox for their encouragement.